Songkran generated 200 million baht in tourism revenue for Chonburi and Pattaya, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said.
Kachondej Apicharttrakul, director of TAT’s Pattaya office, said April 18 that the revenue came from a mix of Thai and foreign tourists, mostly in Pattaya.
Foreigners were encouraged to visit Thailand after the government dropped the pre-flight RT-PCR coronavirus test requirement while Thais could take advantage of the government’s “We Travel Together” subsidized travel scheme.
While Pattaya didn’t have citywide water fights to attract tourists, private businesses organized their own activities to draw visitors, Kachondej said, adding that four- and five-star hotels did the best. Those with pool villas, rooftop rooms and sea views were most popular.
Restaurants – and bars masquerading as them – also were busy, the TAT director said, especially those serving seafood for catering to selfie-addicted millennials.
The only businesses that struggled were those that cater only to foreign tourists, Kachondej said.
Koh Larn Island also attracted huge crowds, with an estimated 10,000 people visiting a day and fully booking all the island’s hotels, he added.
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